The Soul's Edge
by blondiemi
Summary: In a world of juggling college, work, and overall routine, Maka hardly has time for friends. But when a ghost with distinct, glowing scarlet eyes and amnesia asks her to help him find and return to his body, being the only one able to see him, she complies. Though they know they're only temporary partners, they come to realize just how much they rely on each other's company.
1. An Unlikely Meeting

_He opened his eyes, squinting immediately as the flash of whiteness he was greeted with slowly faded into a light blue. Looking around frantically at his unfamiliar surroundings, the first thing he noticed was that his feet weren't touching down on anything. He was levitated off the ground. At least, he thought it was the ground. The entire area he was in appeared to be a spacious room, a never ending one if observed for too long. Fluffy white clouds floated serenely around the tall black crosses that jutted out of the colorless floor, not a single sound was heard throughout the entire place. Looking up, he was greeted by the sight of dozens of small blue, glowing orbs with tails that wiggled animatedly from the top. They all drifted in the same direction, passing him in silence, and he noticed that he, too, was slowly moving along with them. _

_ He was dead. He must've been. Why else would he be in a place that seemed so much like the so-called heaven everyone expected to go to?_

_ It all flashed through his mind. The drunkenly swerving car, the heart-stopping impact, the feeling of being thrown off the bike and hitting something. Something hard. Most likely the wall of rock just off the road._

_ Ghosted pain shot through the back of his head and the side of his ribcage. The last thing he felt before he found himself here._

_ Looking in front of him, he saw a particularly large cloud blocking his path. Instead of floating around it, he simply passed through it, making it dissipate into a thin mist as he came out the other end. _

_ A man clad in a dark cloak hovered over him. His jet-black hair with distinct white stripes moved gently with the light breeze of the room. His intense amber eyes looked down at him fiercely before confusion sparked in them, his brows knitting._

_ "You," the cloaked man addressed, lowering himself. "You don't belong here."_

_ "What?"_

_ "This is the dimension of the dead. And you have not yet died," the man explained. He motioned to the blue orbs surrounding them. "You take the form of a living body, not the dead's soul."_

_ He looked down at himself, noticing his clearly human hands. But they seemed to radiate an unnatural light, as did the rest of his figure._

_ "Your spirit has been expelled from your body," the man pointed out. He slid a hand out of his cloak. "Unfortunately, as a reaper, I cannot allow you to stay here. You must go back from whence you came and return to your still-living flesh." The reaper's eyes suddenly glowed white and a bright light shot from his hand._

_ "But-!" he was cut off by the sudden rush of wind caused by whatever was shooting from the reaper's hand. It engulfed and blinded him._

_ Moments later, he felt the strong wind subside and he slowly cracked open an eye. _

_ He found himself in a desert, remembering only three things. He was in a motorcycle accident, he lived in a place called Death City, and his name was Soul Evans._

Maka Albarn stepped off the busy, crowded sidewalk in exchange for a small, cobblestone path leading into the colorful, refreshing scenery of the public park. She often opted for this shortcut when she felt particularly stressed after a formidable test or a busy day at work. The luscious greenery often calmed her down and the scent of blossoming flowers always gave her the energy she needed to walk the rest of the way home through the never ending hustle and bustle of the city that couldn't care less if you were tired or not. Though it was fall now, and many of the flowers had withered and gone to sleep, not to be seen again until the next spring, Maka loved breathing in the cold, crisp air while looking around at the brilliant gold and red leaves gently falling off the tree branches and crunching below her feet.

Even at the age of twenty one, Maka couldn't help but grin as she ran childishly down the path when she saw no one was looking, as a rather strong gust of wind blew the colorful leaves around her. Her thin, sandy blonde pigtails were tied low, unlike the high twin tails she wore when she was still in high school, and they bounced off her shoulders as she slowed down when the wind subsided to a gentle breeze, letting the leaves ease to the ground. She took one last look at the branches above her, the sound of rustling in her ears, before shifting her eyes down.

Before her, stood a man, to her embarrassment. He must've seen her sprint down, smiling wildly like an idiot. She should've double checked if there was anybody in front of her. Taking a closer look at him, she found that his dark boots weren't touching the ground. They were a few inches above it, actually. His body was outlandishly ashen, as though he'd stepped out of a black-and-white film, except his clothes reflected the current time's fashion. He wore what looked to be a black leather jacket over a v-neck and light jeans. The only spots of any distinct color on him were his vivid, glowing scarlet eyes.

Said eyes shifted to peer into her own wide emerald ones. Her breath hitched and she stepped back cautiously. He couldn't possibly have been human. No human would have such unruly _white_ hair and _red_ eyes, or _sharp_ teeth. Wait. _Sharp teeth_?

No, she wasn't imagining it. The man's lips parted slightly when he grimaced, revealing his frighteningly serrated teeth as his eyes scanned her body up and down, making her tense up with apprehension.

"Who would've thought a girl could have such _tiny_ tits," he muttered to himself, blatantly staring at her chest.

Maka gave an offended gasp, blushing as she hid her chest with her petite, thin hands. "E-excuse me?!" she sputtered. Sure she lacked the assets most girls her age had, not that she really cared. But that certainly didn't mean a random stranger's words couldn't hurt her pride a bit. Were they really so small that they weren't even visible when she wore her tight, form fitting trench coat?

The man's face turned to surprise. He glanced over his shoulder. Seeing that no one was there, he turned back to her. "Wait. You talking to me?" he asked, pointing a finger to his chest.

"_Yes, _I'm talking to you!" she spat, "Just who do you think you are?"

His eyes widened, a wide smile gracing his face, "Thank _God_," he breathed, giving a quiet, short laugh before directing his ecstatic grin at her, "I thought _nobody_ would _ever_ see me."

Maka furrowed her brows, "What?"

"Maybe _you_ can help me!" he exclaimed quickly. He drifted gracefully closer to her, giving Maka a closer look at the hopeful spark in his crimson eyes.

Putting a few steps of distance between them, Maka asked "What do you mean?"

"It's a long story, but hear me out, okay?"

"Yeah, no, I'm leaving," Maka said, walking around the strange man, thinking to herself that she'd forget about the whole thing and just go home. Go home and make a nice, steamy cup of tea. Then, curl up on the couch under her soft, fluffy blanket and read a book… Yeah…

"No, wait!" the man called out in desperation. "I need your help!"

Looking behind her, she saw his grey hand reach out to touch her shoulder. She felt nothing as she watched his fingers go _into_ her shoulder, to her horror. Squeaking and flinching back, she cried out, "Just _what _are you?!" Noticing, once again, his sickly unnatural dull coloration and the way he stayed suspended in the air as he slowly backed off.

The man took a moment before answering, a pained look crossing his face briefly as his shoulders slumped. "I guess you can call me a ghost," he sighed. He watched her eyes widen. "But I'm not really dead."

Maka frowned. An undead ghost? It didn't make any sense.

"That's why I need you!" he urged. "You're the only person that can actually see me. You have to help me find my body so I can go back to living again."

"Find your body? And why would _I_ have to help you?" Maka asked, starting to get a headache from all the insensible information. "Can't you find it yourself?"

"I would if I could," the ghost answered wistfully. "The only problem is that I lost all my memories. The only thing I remember is my name, that I live here, in Death City, and that I was in a motorbike accident."

Maka bit her lip. Not actually dead? Lost memories? A motorbike accident? It all just didn't add up. But, she couldn't just walk away from him now. Not when he looked at her with such pained eyes.

"I-," she sucked in a breath, "I can't." She continued before he could say anything, "I'm too busy with school and my job. I've got too much on my plate to add _finding a ghost's body_ to it."

"I don't think you understand," he sputtered, "_You're _the _only_ person I've met that can actually see me, hear me, and talk to me."

Maka knew she couldn't, she simply could _not_. With her currently trying to juggle her difficult courses _and _a part-time job to make the next rent payment, she just didn't have the time or energy for such a ridiculous request. Besides, it wasn't like her to even _believe_ in the existence of ghosts. Then again, she couldn't deny that the ashen man floating before her wasn't one. It was enough that she even bothered talking to him, let alone _help_ him with such a ridiculous task.

Looking over, she saw that a woman pushing a baby stroller was coming towards them. Turning back to him, she lowered her voice, "Sorry, ghost boy, but you're gonna have to find somebody else to haunt." With that, she turned on her heels and began walking away.

The ghost, however, wasn't about to give up so easily. He followed close behind her, pleading for her help as she tried to ignore his constant whining. It wasn't as though she could acknowledge him, not with all the people surrounding her, anyway. They'd think she was crazy. He'd followed her for a good ten minutes now, never ceasing his begging. Maka was just about ready to rip her own face off because he wouldn't _shut up_. Not only that, but he was still trailing behind her and she was only about a block away from her apartment complex.

"C'mon! I told you already! It took me an entire _week_ just to find this fucking city. I can't just let someone who can see me _leave_! Quit ignoring me, there's no one here anyway!" he cried.

"Ugh! Will you just shut up already?!" Maka hissed, whirling around to face the man. He floated back in surprise at her irritated outburst, but grinned.

"Finally! So, does that mean you _will _help me?"

"No!" Maka snapped, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Now leave me alone!"

She turned back around and walked furiously towards her apartment building. She entered the lobby and noticed that he was _still_ following her. She shot him a warning glare which he met with a determined look.

"I won't stop until you say yes," he smirked.

Huffing angrily, Maka walked up the stairwell.

"I'll haunt you forever," he threatened jokingly. "And keep bothering you until you say yes."

"Shut up," she muttered, reaching her floor.

"No. I need help, and you're the only one who can. Geez, woman, don't you get it?! The. Only. Person!" he stressed, finally reaching his own limit in patience.

"For the love of _mankind_, I get it! I'm sorry I can't help you, now go find someone else who can see you and ask them!" Maka roared, turning to face him, her voice echoing down the hallway. Looking to the side, she saw her neighbor, a tall woman with short black hair and rectangular glasses, stare at her, mouth slightly agape and eyebrows quirked. Maka laughed nervously, "Sorry, Bluetooth," she lied, pointing to her opposite ear and glowering viciously at the man. Her neighbor simply passed by her calmly, muttering something about young people these days acting strangely.

"Pff, serves you right," he sneered.

"It's _your_ fault Azusa thinks I'm crazy now! You know what, fuck you," she spat, jamming her key angrily into the lock and turning it. She slammed the door behind her, starting to peel off her trench coat when she heard a voice right next to her.

"Don't you know ghosts can go through walls?"

Maka yelped, whirling around to find the man hovering right beside her. Groaning, too tired to yell at him anymore, she flopped down on her small couch. "Fine," she sighed in defeat.

"What?"

"I said, fine,"

"For what?"

"Helping you, you dumbass!" she cried, rolling her eyes wearily.

"Really?!" he asked excitedly, grinning wildly.

"Yeah," said Maka, noticing his growing glee, "But, I can't start until after I get through the exams in a few of my classes."

"Yeah, sure, that's fine," he said, most likely ignoring her and only thinking about the fact that he'd finally convinced her.

"You said you remembered your name," Maka started, watching as he turned his attention to her, "I never caught it."

"Soul Evans," he grinned.

"Maka Albarn," she smiled back.

"Pleasure working with you."

**A/N: I've been pretty excited about this story since I thought it up during the summer. I have to say, it was inspired by Full Moon wo Sagashite (Full Moon, for short) by Arina Tanemura. If you haven't read or watched it, I should inform you that there is a character that was thought to be dead since he was thought to be a shinigami, but it turned out he was in a coma or something (I was a bit confused by it, but I think that's about right). Also, I must've edited this chapter at least a million times and I really enjoyed writing it. I hope you look forward to the rest of this story, it should be about 5 chapters long. I've written up to chapter 3 and planned out all of chapter 4. Chapter 5's planning is nearly done, and since I have HSPAs next week, I won't have homework to hinder my creative processes. **

**I hope you enjoy this short little teaser of a chapter and until the next one, I bid you adieu!**

**Btw, reviews are wonderful and seriously motivate me. Any at all would be appreciated. Thanks for reading!**

**PS: any announcement regarding chapter updates or story progress for any of my stories will be posted on my profile.**


	2. How to Live With a Ghost

She swore she would kill him. She'd find his body and kill him. That irritating bastard and his stupid ability to go through anything.

Maka was sitting in the lecture hall, scowling and clutching her pencil so tight it could break. Clenching her jaw, she told herself to calm down and ignore it. But how could she? For heaven's sake, his face was sticking out of her professor's chest with a dead serious expression. That wasn't even the worst part. Oh no, there was still the punch line. That infuriating ghost-boy would do it _all the damn time_.

She held her breath. Any moment, now.

And sure enough, Soul's face, still protruding from her professor's chest, morphed into what she swore was _the dumbest _expression she'd ever seen. And Maka couldn't help but break her cross expression and let out a few silent giggles, biting her lip to try and keep them in.

A week had passed since their encounter in the park and things were going alright. Well, as 'alright' as it gets between an easily irritated college student and a disembodied, immature ghost. Their search had been postponed until after she got through the exams her teachers piled up on. But, there were a few developments made.

_After their agreement had been made, Maka settled down comfortably on the couch and turned to her new acquaintance._

_ "So, I have to say, I don't really understand how you're a ghost, but not dead," she remarked._

_ "Well, I'm not really a ghost," he stated, then stroked his chin, searching for the right words. "I'm more like…a consciousness? You know, like, your thoughts and feelings…and the person you are on the inside or something."_

_ Maka pondered on his explanation. "You mean, like your soul?"_

_ "Yeah!" his ruby eyes brightened, "That's exactly it."_

_ "Funny you didn't think of that considering it's your __name__," Maka laughed. "I mean, no offense or anything, but who names their kid Soul?"_

_ "Don't know, I lost all my memories," he shrugged._

_ Maka's smile faded a bit and she nodded grimly before speaking up again. "So, let's sum up the facts. You were in a motorcycle accident, bad enough for your soul to get ejected, but not bad enough to kill you," she mused. "You know what I think?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "I'm fairly certain you're in a comatose state."_

_ "A what?"_

_ She rolled her eyes, "A coma. It makes perfect sense! You aren't conscious, and you're alive," she grinned._

_ "Yeah, I was thinking it might've been something like that," Soul said._

_ "So what happened?" she asked, "I mean, what was it like to die but not die?"_

_ A smile creeped along his face, revealing his serrated teeth, "Maka Albarn, I'm gonna tell you the story of when I got kicked out of the afterlife." _

Unfortunately for Maka, this delay in the search meant Soul was more bored than ever, leaving her to be the victim of his annoying acts.

Her lecture ended and Maka exited the building, pulling on her snug, comfy trench coat as she felt the cold air hit her face. Ignoring Soul, who hovered directly over her, she walked over to a nearby group of four students chattering away. They were her friends, Kim, Jackie, Ox, and Harvar. Maka knew Kim and Jackie in high school, though they didn't get close until attending the same college and working at Deathbucks Café together. Ox was in several of her classes, posing as her academic rival as well as an occasional study-buddy. Not to mention his extremely obvious crush on Kim, which made Maka his unwilling wingwoman. Harvar was a mutual friend of Jackie and Ox, so it was only natural he'd be a part of their group. They'd hang out together from time to time, usually for an evening at the nearby tavern or to catch a movie.

"Hey, guys," Maka greeted when she finally reached them.

"Hey," Kim grinned, her light pink hair ruffling as the breeze blew by.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come with us to the pub tonight," said Jackie.

Maka sighed, "I wish I could, but I've got work today."

"Oh, that's too bad," said replied, a hint of disappointment in her voice. Maka simply gave an apologetic smile in response, after all, it wasn't anything new for her to turn down plans on account of having to work or to study. She was just so constantly busy with both, she barely had any time for herself.

"So Maka," Ox started, changing the subject, "you ready for Stein's exam?"

Maka rolled her eyes, "Do you honestly think anyone in that class is?"

"Well, I think I'm quite ready," he boasted.

"Yeah, alright Ox," Maka smirked, "We'll see."

"We should place bets," Harvar whispered to the girls.

"My money's on Maka," Kim announced.

"Twenty?"

"Deal."

Shaking her head, Maka smiled, "I should get going, but I'll see you around." With that, she gave a short wave to her friends before spinning around and starting the trek back to her apartment. Now away from everyone, she became all too aware of Soul's presence directly behind her.

"Soul, I swear to you, when we find your body I will punch you so hard you'll come out of it again," she hissed.

"Yeah alright, but you still laughed," he smirked, causing her to scowl up at him.

"You'd better stop, 'cause tuition costs way too much for it to be wasted by your stupid distractions."

"Not my fault I've got nothing to do."

"Why don't you just fly around the city or whatever."

"Yeah, I could do that," he remarked in mock thoughtfulness before grinning wickedly, "But messing with you is so much more fun."

Maka rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Also, you'd better not show up at work today. I don't need to get in trouble for 'screaming at thin air' again."

Soul sniggered, "I can't believe I got you every time, though."

Last time she was at work, Soul decided to scare the shit out of her by popping out from under tables, behind doors, and the ceiling, baring his serrated teeth with a snarl. Her boss wasn't too happy with her creeping out the customers and breaking a plate while she was at it.

Maka walked the rest of the way in silence, Soul floating beside her. When she returned to her apartment and closed the door behind her, she placed her bag on the couch and went into the kitchen.

"I've got work from five to ten, so should I play a movie or just leave the TV on for you?"

"Movie," Soul answered.

Maka glanced up at him, "Yeah? You sure? 'Cause you're not allowed to come to the café when it's done."

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes, snapping his hand in a dismissive manner, "I'll just 'fly around town or whatever' like you suggested."

Maka set a tea kettle on the stove, "You'd better."

It was a neat little arrangement they had. She'd go on Pay-Per-View and have Soul choose a movie to watch or browse through the TV channels until he found one that he thought would entertain him during the time she was gone. It benefitted them both, staying Soul's boredom from ghostly life for a bit, and keeping him out of Maka's hair while she worked or went to class. The only disadvantage was the fact that Soul couldn't physically touch anything, so the TV would only stay on one channel and the movie chosen would end and leave him with nothing to do.

"So is this really all you do?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Well I mean, it's been like, what? A week? And all I've seen you do was the same thing over and over again."

"What do you mean?" Maka questioned, turning back to the stove briefly to turn off the gas under the singing tea kettle.

"Like go to school, read, study, work, drink tea," he listed before giving his head a quick shake, "It's all so boring and depressing to watch."

Maka raised a brow as she placed a tea bag into an orange mug and poured some hot water over it. "I can understand the 'boring' part, but how is it depressing?"

"Routine," he stated simply. "Routine is depressing. I mean, it's so hopeless. There's no excitement, everything's expected and you just do it all over and over again like some ongoing cycle. I hate it."

"Well, I think it's dependable," she remarked. "If you feel like you're keeping within a routine, it means you're where you should be, that you're in the right place at the right time and it works."

"Like I said, no excitement," Soul argued. "I mean, what's life without a risk, without a break from everyday routine?"

"I dunno, let's ask the guy who had an 'out of routine' motorcycle accident."

A heavy silence fell for a few long seconds, immediately making Maka regret what she'd said. "Not cool," Soul stated.

"Sorry, I-"

"Yeah, whatever, why don't you just go study or something," Soul interrupted icily.

He was a bit sensitive about the accident. Why wouldn't he be? Whatever life he'd been living before, he'd forgotten. He was stuck in this discolored, partly translucent form, knowing his body was out there somewhere, waiting for his consciousness to return to it. For goodness's sake, he was thrown out of the afterlife!

Maka sighed, "Soul, listen, I'm sorry. That was a kinda uncalled for."

"You think?"

Maka smiled up at him, "Yeah."

She took her mug of tea to the living room with her, sitting down on the couch and placing it down on the coffee table. She picked up the book she'd been reading off the table and opened it.

Soul watched as Maka sighed happily, turning the page and taking a sip of tea. He had to admit, it was kind of adorable how excited she got over books. She was adorable in general. He loved to get reactions out of her, because she could be cute when she was mad. Well, the kind of mad where she wasn't actually furious with him, just exasperated and annoyed. Sometimes, he'd say something that snaps her already straining patience and Maka would throw a nearby book toward him. It would pass right through, of course, making it all the funnier because she couldn't help her instinct and got upset with how she couldn't hit him.

Maka looked up at the clock, she'd been reading for about fifteen minutes, but she had to start getting ready for work. Closing the book, she looked over at Soul, who was staring out the window into the street, like a cat perched on a window sill.

"About time you chose a movie. I've gotta leave in twenty," she announced, picking up the remote and turning on to Pay-Per-View.

"Put on _Inglorious Bastards_."

"M'kay."

Once Soul was watching his movie and Maka was dressed in her trench coat with everything she needed, she turned to him, "Remember, no coming to work," and left.

Work was only a few minutes away from where she lived, so Maka got there in almost no time, opening the glass door to be greeted with the sweet, light fragrance of fresh coffee.

"Hey, Maka," a girl with black hair tied into two neat pigtails greeted.

"Hey, Tsugumi," Maka smiled. "Did Meme make it?"

"No," Tsugumi sighed, "she's still sick."

Rolling her eyes, Maka muttered "Just wait till Anya hears about it," as she walked into the employee's room to change into her uniform. As she set her things down, a girl with long light hair came in, blue eyes glimmering with annoyance under her blonde bangs.

"Where's Meme?" the girl asked haughtily.

"Sick," Maka answered simply.

She groaned, "I can't _believe_ that chick! How did she even get this job?!"

"Yeah, well, from the looks of it, they didn't call in a substitute, so get changed quick, Anya."

Waitressing wasn't exactly Maka's dream job, but it paid well and it got her out of the house. She would work a lot, getting only one or two days a week off. What could she do? She needed the money for everyday expenses, even if working tended to take away study time. Besides, she needed some social interaction, even if it wasn't casual.

Work ended late, she was out by ten. No rude customers today, thank God. Maka exited the café, leaving her co-worker, Akane, to finish closing up shop.

"Hey."

Maka started, whipping her head to where the voice came from. "Geez, Soul, don't do that, you'll give me a heart attack," she scolded after seeing it was just him.

"Relax," he snickered, "who else would it be, you have, like, no frie-"

"Shut up, it was just sudden is all," she mumbled. "Besides, what did I say about coming to work?"

"Technically, I didn't go inside, so I'm still following the rules," he smirked.

Maka rolled her eyes, "Fine, whatever. I need to stop at the supermarket before going home."

"That's cool."

With that, they went off in silence, reaching the supermarket just a few blocks from her apartment complex in record time. When inside, Maka grabbed a plastic basket and made her way to the baked goods area.

"So, I always see you talking to your friends," Soul started, "but I haven't seen you hang out with them at all."

Maka looked around, there was no one in the aisle, since it was so late, so she talked in a hushed voice, "I hang out with them," she defended, dropping a baguette into the basket, "I just haven't had an opportunity to lately."

Soul shook his ashen head disapprovingly, gliding over Maka and meeting face to face, floating upside down in the air. "Do you even have a boyfriend?" he asked, intense red eyes peering into hers.

Maka gave a short shake of the head, "You know I have no time."

"Figures," he sighed, turning rightside up again, "It's not like you're really girlfriend material with your flat chest and cankles."

Maka turned to glower at him, his sneer only adding to her growing irritation, "Fuck you," she spat, "With your assholery, you're probably single too."

His grin grew wider, "We'll see about that."

Maka huffed, walking past Soul's suspended form to the refrigerated section. Picking up a carton of milk, she saw Soul whizz past her, doing flips in midair. Raising a brow, she let a laugh escape her lips.

"_What_ are you doing?" she asked, "You look like an idiot."

"Well it's not like anyone can see me, so who cares," he shrugged, "It's fun."

"I'll take your word for it."

It wasn't like music playing at a grocery store was meant to be obvious, but Soul took great notice when the music suddenly changed genre, going from light pop to classical. He felt a strange sensation fill his being. At first he thought it could be because it was unlikely for the genre to be playing at a supermarket, but then again, it wasn't exactly a normal time to be grocery shopping, so it could've just been the manager entertaining him or herself. No, this sensation was strong. He felt passion, but at the same time, resentment. Deep resentment, the kind that set its roots deep into your soul, festering over time. The sound of violins made him feel wistful and jealous. It was a memory. Not a clear one, not a specific one, but a memory nonetheless. All he could think of was the word 'parents'.

"Soul?" he heard Maka say, breaking his thoughts. He looked to her concerned face.

"Yeah?" he mumbled dumbly.

"You okay? You look kinda sick."

"Maka," he started, "I think something's coming back."

Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly, "Like, your memory?"

"Yeah," he breathed, squinting his eyes, trying to figure out how to explain it. "I think I have something to do with classical music. And I think I have problems with my parents, like resentment or something. It's not very clear."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Maka muttered, expression turning hard.

"What?"

"It's nothing," she waved it off. "Let's get to the cash register, the store's closing in a few minutes."

"Yeah…" he whispered, still trying to figure out just how classical music and hatred towards his parents were related.


	3. A Step Closer

Within a few days, Maka's exams were done and over with, finally giving her and Soul the time to actually start their search.

"Okay, Soul," she addressed, opening the internet browser on her practically ancient laptop, "do you have any idea _where_ exactly you crashed?"

Soul rolled his eyes, "Maka, I already told you I could only remember, like, three things."

"Well, you were getting _some _memory back, maybe you remembered where you were going."

"Yeah well, that wasn't even an actual memory, just a feeling," he explained, "But, I do remember I collided with a drunk driver and I hit a rock wall off the road. I think I might've broken some ribs and I definitely hit my head."

Maka winced, "I hope your body isn't completely mangled, otherwise being a ghost would probably be better."

He could've shuddered at the thought, "Yeah, well, if I'm like this, then I'm technically still alive."

"Okay, well, it's been, what? Two week since you woke up randomly in the desert? I can probably search up accidents that happened within that time span," she said, typing furiously, "but with the description you just gave me, it could literally be anywhere in the west."

"I think the desert I woke up in could have been near where I was going."

"Yeah, thanks Soul. What great help! Except, half of Nevada is a desert," she spat sarcastically.

"Holy shit, Maka, I was just trying to be helpful!"

"Sorry, it's just we don't have much to go on."

Soul drifted down gently to look over her shoulder. "Found anything at all?" he asked.

"No, nothing yet," she rested her cheek on her hand, "You'd think it'd be in the news, or a short newspaper article at least."

"Well it's gotta be somewhere, accidents are always recorded, right?" he frowned.

"I'm trying," she assured him, "But I'm not exactly the most internet savvy person. I mean, who looks up car accidents in their spare time?"

"People who see ghosts and need to get them back to their bodies," Soul huffed impatiently, "Now keep looking."

Maka scoffed, tearing her eyes from the laptop screen to glare at him. "Need I remind you that I'm doing you the biggest favor of your life? Shit, Soul, some gratitude for giving up my day off would be nice."

Soul let out a frustrated sigh, "Sorry," he muttered.

Maka shook her head, exasperated, before continuing her search. Not two minutes later, her eyes lit up, "Soul!" she cried, pointing at the glowing screen excitedly, "Check this out."

Looking at the screen, he read, "Motorcycle hit-and-run accident just outside Las Vegas." He looked down at Maka, who beamed proudly at her findings. "That's it?"

"Better than nothing," she pouted, brows furrowing at his disappointment.

"All these other accidents are way more elaborated on," Soul narrowed his eyes, "Why is this so under wraps? They didn't even mention my name."

"Maybe it wasn't you," she suggested.

"Yeah, but it's dated to have happened only about a month ago. Maybe I was in that weird afterlife place for that missing week or two. It has to be me. There haven't been any other motorcycle accidents other than that one."

"At least we have a lead on where to look," Maka said, giving a short shrug, "Las Vegas, huh? Figures you'd be a party boy."

Soul smirked. "Yeah, well, keep looking. Maybe you could find which hospital I was taken to."

"I'll try"

About a half hour later, Maka yawned, stretching her arms and cracking her back after sitting around with no new results. It _was_ strange how little information she could find. It was as though the whole thing was a big secret, all hush-hush. Something she wasn't allowed to know about.

"Soul?" she called, looking around for her ghostly companion.

"Yeah?" his voice came from the kitchen.

"I can't find anything," she cracked her stiff neck, "I going out for some lunch."

"I'm coming with," he stated, silently gliding from the kitchen to her.

Maka grabbed her coat and pulled it on, before snatching her cell phone and holding it out for Soul to see. He nodded in understanding. It meant they would talk, using the phone as a cover so that Maka wouldn't look like some creepy weirdo talking to herself. Once out on the street, Soul turned to her.

"So, nothing new? At all?"

"Nope. It was just that one article," she said, placing the phone against her ear.

He groaned, "This is so fucking hard!"

Maka's eyes softened in understanding, "We'll keep looking. There's got to be something."

"If only that stupid accident was near Death City, I'd just take a look into DC Medical Center and try to find myself."

"That would take days. Do you know how big that hospital is?"

"Yeah, well, time isn't really a problem for me, is it?"

Maka shifted her gaze up to see Soul's expression. It was twisted with sadness, frustration, and…emptiness? Her eyes darted down quickly when she saw his turning. "True," she stated.

That's when she saw a flash of electric blue in the corner of her eye. Looking across the street, Maka saw a man with the most eccentric hair she'd ever seen. It was sculpted into a star-like shape and had a distinct, eye-catching color. He was chattering excitedly to the girls that surrounded him. Two of them appeared to be sisters, with similar facial features, but different shades of blonde hair. The other girl with black hair tied into a high ponytail was trying to shush him because, damn he was _loud_. Maka could practically make out what he was saying from across the busy street. The girl with darker blonde hair, probably the older of the two sisters, appeared to be arguing with the blue-haired man. That's when he turned towards the street.

"Hey everybody!" he bellowed. "Your god, me that is, has an important announcement!"

"Black Star, don't you fucking da-"

But the dark blonde-haired girl was cut off. "This chick here," he hollered, pointing to her, "has smaller tits than her younger sister! How hilarious is that?!"

"You little shit!" the girl cried before pounding her fist into his cheek, ceasing his irritating laughter.

Soul and Maka watched the scene unfold, mouths agape, brows furrowed in disbelief of the absolute _stupidity_ of the situation.

Soul shook his head, "What a dumbass," he stated. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt a sudden wave of memories clash in his head. He couldn't see the street or Maka anymore, just the four people across from them in different situations, situations he'd been in, places he went with them. Those three simple words repeated themselves in memories of the blue-haired boy doing many other ridiculous things, similar to what he'd just done. Familiarity came back to him. He remembered. They were his friends. His best friends, actually. Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and Black Star.

Soul's gasp broke Maka's gaze at the strange group. Turning to look at him, she saw him clutching his head in his hands, bright red eyes glowing more intensely than she'd ever seen them glow before. "What's wrong?" she asked, alarmed, not caring that her phone wasn't pressed against her ear anymore.

"Maka, you have to go across the street _now_," he urged, snapping up.

"What?"

"I just remembered something. Those guys," he said urgently, pointing to the group across the street, "they're my friends."

Maka's eyes widened turning to see that they were walking in the opposite direction of where she was going. "Soul, I can't just go over there. I don't even know them!"

"They might be our only chance to figure out where to find me!"

She bit her lips watching as they walked farther away. What was she supposed to do? Run up to them and say '_Hey, I know you don't know who I am, but your friend, Soul Evans is a ghost right now and we need you to tell us where his body is_'?

"Soul," she pleaded, "I really can't. What am I even supposed to say?"

"I don't know, think of something!" he snapped.

She huffed angrily, but found herself crossing the street to where the group had stopped. Looking down at the sidewalk, Maka saw a card. She picked it up, and on closer inspection, saw it was the tall blonde-haired girl's school ID. Her name was Elizabeth Thompson. Looking up, she noticed the group wasn't all that far away and she could probably reach soon enough if she ran over to them. Maka looked down at the ID again, noticing the school emblem.

"Shibusen U?!" she cried in disbelief, turning to Soul, "You went to Shibusen U?!"

"Huh?"

"This is Elizabeth's ID and it's from _Shibusen U_!"

"Well I guess I did, then," he said impatiently.

Jealousy ran through her being. Shibusen U was her dream school. Maka had wanted to go there since middle school. It was a prestigious private university and the only way to get in was if you had a very high GPA, or if you were rich. Maka had the GPA they needed, but since Shibusen U didn't give out scholarships, she couldn't possibly afford the ridiculously high tuition price. So, she had to settle for Death City U. It wasn't fair that a bunch of lugnuts like them were able to go there when she couldn't.

"Maka, they're getting away!" Soul cried.

"Okay, okay," she said, starting to jog towards his friends, clutching the ID tightly. They were already at the end of the block, but Maka's surprisingly quick pace got her there in no time.

"Hey!" she called out, making them turn around. "You left this back there," she panted, handing Elizabeth her ID. The girl took it and smiled gratefully at Maka.

"Thanks so much! Holy shit, that was close," she laughed in relief before turning to the blue-haired boy, "Black Star, you dipshit, it's your fault this poor girl had to run all the way here!"

"What?! How's it _my _fault? _You're _the one who dropped your ID, Liz," Black Star argued.

Liz disregarded him and turned back to Maka. "Well, thanks again, you really saved me."

"Um, y-you're welcome," Maka stammered nervously, feeling Soul's eyes bore into her back, expecting her to do more. But she didn't. She simply stood there as the group walked off once again.

"You idiot!" Soul growled, "Now we've lost them!"

"Oh will you _relax_," Maka snapped. "We know where they go to school, if we really needed to, we could hang around Shibusen's campus until we see them again."

"Ugh, fine," he spat, "Have it your way."

Maka rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. Her growling stomach reminded her why she left her apartment in the first place and she picked up her pace.

That evening, the two found themselves in the living room together. Soul was listening to Maka read her book aloud to him, since she wanted to read and he was bored, so they figured, why not? But he wasn't listening, not really anyway. He was staring at her as she recited the words of the paperback novel, emerald eyes shimmering with excitement. Her hair was let down, tucked behind only one ear, making her look unbelievably pretty. Who knew how much of a difference two hair bands could make. It frustrated him to no end that he couldn't reach out and touch her, feel her soft ash-blonde hair, or ruffle it to annoy her. It kept getting increasingly difficult to live with the concept of look but don't touch, don't poke, don't playfully punch, don't hug, don't comfort, because he noticed. He noticed how tired she was from all the expectations she put on herself. He noticed how physically and mentally exhausted she got from constantly working and studying. Money was tight, he realized. Her apartment wasn't exactly top notch, having only a living room, a miniscule kitchen, a cramped bathroom, and one bedroom. She bought only generic food brands and wore only one trench coat, whose wear was evident along the cuffs and the hem, it couldn't have been less than two years old. He could tell she wanted to be with her friends, but she was too busy to hang out with them and he knew it bothered her because every time she turned down an invitation, sadness would flash through her big green eyes. There were so many times he wanted to bring her into a crushing embrace, but couldn't, because his stupid form wouldn't allow him to. Because she wouldn't feel it, because he'd pass right through her.

He was basically nothing. No one could see him, no one could hear him, nothing was affected by him, nobody cared. It wasn't until she found him that he felt like he mattered again, because he was starting to lose hope of ever finding help, of ever finding himself. She was the only thing that kept him sane. Because even though he couldn't touch anything, couldn't physically be affected by anything, she acknowledged him as a person, reacted to his words, to his expressions, and that was enough. He owed her, he really did owe her. And if they find his body, he'd owe her his life.

"I don't even think you're listening," he heard Maka say, obviously annoyed.

"Hm? What?"

"Exactly," she scoffed, placing a bookmark in between the pages. "Whatever, I'll just turn on the TV. I think there's a game on."

As the TV blared, Maka looked at Soul intently. She wondered if he really did look like that. Red eyes, sharp teeth, white hair; they were all unnatural, otherworldly traits. Even so, he looked strangely handsome, very handsome actually. It would've been a shame if his physical body looked different.

Maka shifted her eyes to look at his. They were bright, very bright, following the players on the TV screen. It was always said that eyes were the windows into the soul, and she agreed with the expression now more than ever. She saw how their glow would change in intensity, even in color depending on his mood. And when he thought no one was looking, they would dim and grow dull, like he felt broken and empty, trying to remember himself. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to forget everything about herself, about her life. It must've been so hard for him, out from where he belonged, existing in the neutral limbo of being neither dead nor alive. Getting ejected from his body only to get kicked out of the afterlife.

But the thought of finding his body and returning his spirit to it scared her. It scared her because he would remember everything. He would be back to his old life, the life where their paths never crossed, where she would probably never have met him. Though that fateful meeting in the park pulled her away from routine, something she so depended upon, she wouldn't trade that interruption for anything. She owed him. She had been in a life surrounded by people, yet lonely because of her responsibilities. Having Soul around kept her from that feeling of emptiness. He was a friend, a companion who stayed by her. Sure he could be irritating, but she couldn't imagine a day without his playful teasing, making faces during her lectures, or his stupid jokes. She hated how scared she was that he would abandon her once he returned to his old life.

"Soul?"

"Yeah?" he asked, gaze lazily meeting hers.

"Do you think…"she started softly, "Do you think we'll still be friends after we find your body?"

She watched his eyes soften, their glow turn warm, "Yeah," he smiled. "I'm sure we will."

Maka turned away from him, cheeks pinking under his gaze. She couldn't help but smile as a feeling of relief flooded through her and lingered for the rest of the evening.

After her last lecture the next day, she was approached by Kim.

"Maka!" Kim cried, running up to her.

Turning around, Maka greeted her, "Hey, Kim, what's up?"

"Listen," her friend began, "I've got a party to go to tomorrow, and you're coming with me!"

"Kim," Maka sighed, "you know I don't like college parties."

"Oh, c'mon Maka, live a little," Kim pouted, "Jackie can't come 'cause she's got work, and we haven't hung out in so long. Plus, I know for sure you have tomorrow off, so don't even try to back out."

"Ugh, fine. Whose party is it anyway?"

Kim smiled at Maka's compliance, "You don't know them, they're my friends from before I transferred to Death City High, I kept in touch with them. Liz and Patty Thompson, they're having a party at their house, the Gallows Mansion!"

Maka did a double take. This coincidence was too good to be true. A college party with mouth-loosening alcohol was the perfect opportunity to get information from Soul's friends. Though she was upset she would be using up her only day off that week, she couldn't wait to tell him the news. "Okay, awesome, I'll be there. Just text me when you want to meet up," she told Kim with sudden vigor before hurriedly walking off to tell her ghostly companion about her plans.

**A/N: I'm gonna warn you, though the next chapter should be up by Monday, don't be surprised if its a little late. But any more updating information can be found on my profile. Don't forget to review! I like review.**

**And a thank you to all of you who followed, favorited, and reviewed on this story. I love you!**


	4. Time's Nearly Out

She was absolutely exhausted. Work ended pretty late last night. Maka had to close up by herself, resulting in her not getting home until about eleven. Her classes forced her to crawl reluctantly out of bed early and now that they were over for the day, her weariness really set in. The moment she got back to the apartment, she threw down her bag and plopped herself onto the couch, sighing contently as her muscles finally got some rest.

"Hey," Soul greeted.

"Hey," she mumbled in reply, turning onto her side to get more comfortable.

"Don't tell me you're gonna take a nap," Soul groaned, "We've got that party thing today!"

"Relax, I don't have to get ready for another few hours."

"No," he growled, "C'mon, get up, we need to make a plan."

"Soul, just rela-"

"Maka, I swear if you don't get up right now, I'm gonna make so much noise you won't be able to fall asleep anyway."

Maka snapped up, meeting his fierce glower with a dark look, "Just _what_ is your problem, Soul?" she asked menacingly, unhappy with his tone. Her sleepiness and stress weren't helping her mood either. There had been a lot on her mind today. The rent payment (which she would barely make), the three essays she needed to write by the end of the week, the cable bill (which would probably end up going through the roof thanks to Soul), and on top of all that, the Thompsons' party. The _last _thing she needed right now was Soul's agitation.

"I'm trying to get us ready for the plan," he answered.

"You could just talk me through at the party."

"No, we have to plan right now," Soul retorted stubbornly.

She seriously did _not _need this right now. All she wanted was to take a stupid nap. An hour would do. But, no, this stubborn bastard wouldn't have it. "I just want to take a nap, Soul. Why don't you take your ghostly ass outside and bother some people or whatever it is you like to do," she spat.

Soul's eyes sparked with rage, "_What _did you say?!"

"I said," Maka started bitterly, "go out and bother people, since you seem to like it so _fucking much._ You know, go fly around town, float through things, get pissed off at everything."

"What?!"

"You know what, Soul? Why should I even be helping you? You're being a total _jerk_ about everything. I mean, I take the time to search for articles online and you get mad that it isn't enough. We see your friends, which, mind you, I've never met in my life, and you yell at me for not talking to them," she huffed, shaking her head, "Maybe you should just stay this way. You don't have to deal with anything, you don't have to work your ass off just to get by, you don't have to stay up all night studying, you don't have to deal with your stupid alcoholic, sex-addicted father, you don't have to deal with your mother being missing!" she exploded. "You can just float away from it all."

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me?!" Soul snapped, his blood-red eyes flaming with fury. "Do you even fucking know what it's like to be like this?! It's not all fun and games. You can't touch anything, nobody sees you, nobody hears you, nobody gives a fuck. Do you know what it's like to not be able to sleep while everyone else does? Do you know what it's like to forget everything about yourself? All you do is exist. You can't do anything for yourself. You can't do anything for anyone."

By this point, angry tears were streaming down Maka's face, her teeth clenched, "Well I'm so _fucking _sorry I'm still alive and I don't understand, Soul. But, you don't have to be an asshole about everything!"

"Yeah, well, why don't you just take that stupid-ass nap of yours so you can finally shut up, bitch."

"Fuck off, Soul!" she roared, "You're such a _dick_."

"Don't mind if I do. I'll just float around _'cause I apparently love it so fucking much_."

"Fine!" she cried, stomping over to her room and slamming the door as Soul disappeared through the wall of her apartment. Maka curled up on top of her bed and let her tears flow silently until she nodded off to sleep.

Later that evening, after having taken a short nap and changing into something more suited for a party, Maka met up with Kim so they could arrive together. Soul hadn't returned after their heated argument. She felt bad. She'd said things she didn't really mean, but her accumulating stress and frustration finally made her snap. But now, Maka had to concentrate and make her own way since she didn't have Soul around to help her. The thing was, her surroundings were pretty damn intimidating.

She stood before a gorgeous mansion, which must've cost a fortune to live in. Statues decorated the small area in front of the house and its heavy, tall doors were ornate with brass handles and knockers. It wasn't until Kim called out her name that Maka snapped out of her observational trance.

"Maka, c'mon, let's get inside, it's cold."

"R-right," she stuttered, following Kim up the stairs. The pink-haired girl pulled open the door and let Maka in. Inside, the house looked much bigger and it was already filled with drunk college students.

"Kim!" a voice shouted from the crowd. Liz Thompson emerged and made her way towards the two girls, a beer can in hand.

"Liz!" Kim squealed, giving the girl a tight hug before turning to Maka. "Maka, this is Liz. Liz, Maka."

"Oh! ID girl!" Liz exclaimed in recognition.

"Nice to see you again," Maka greeted with a smile.

"You guys know each other?" Kim asked.

"No, she just dropped her ID on the street the other day and I was able to catch up and give it back to her," Maka explained.

"Well, come on in, grab a beer," Liz ushered, leading them to a staircase at the end of the room. "Patty and the rest are up on the balcony."

Maka stayed close to Kim. She was literally her only ticket into the group and she couldn't risk losing that. Otherwise, she'd have to fend for herself in this jungle of strangers.

Liz led them to the balcony, which held a stunning million-dollar view of Death City. Maka looked around in awe. Just how rich were these people?! Soul certainly had his connections. She scanned the sitting areas spread in a few small bunches around balcony. There, Maka saw the rest of the group she'd seen the other day.

"Guys," Liz addressed, "Kim's here and so is ID girl, her name is Maka, be nice."

"Kim!" the younger of the two sisters called, attacking her friend with a hug. Maka suddenly felt alone. Kim was being pulled over to their sitting area while she stood alone and awkward. But this was no time to be timid. Maka walked to the nearby cooler and grabbed a bottle of beer, some fancy-looking brand she'd never heard of, and made her way to the group.

"Hey, Maka, you can sit here," Liz grinned, offering her a chair.

Maka paused for a split second, surprised at her consideration before taking a seat with a grateful smile. "Thanks," she said meekly.

"No problem. I guess I'll just introduce you to everyone," said Liz, "Over there's Black Star, he's a dumbass."

"Hey, what did you say about me, bitch?!" the blue-haired boy roared.

Ignoring him, she continued, "That's Tsubaki." The black-haired girl waved. "And that's my sister, Patty."

After introductions were made, Maka began to relax and joined in on conversation. It wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. She didn't need Soul, after all. His friends were really nice, very welcoming and fun to be around. After a while, however, Liz and Patty went off to continue hosting their party, Kim went back downstairs, and Black Star left when some guy challenged him to a game of beer pong. Maka was left with Tsubaki, a polite kind-hearted girl, who, by this point was a bit buzzed.

"I really like your dress," Tsubaki complimented, eyeing Maka's golden sundress that could be seen through her open trenchcoat, "it reminds me of my cat's eyes," she giggled.

"Thanks," Maka smiled, "You have a cat? I've always wanted one."

"Yeah, her name is Blaire. I've only had her for a month, but she's not actually mine. She belongs to my friend, Soul."

Ding ding ding! She was onto something now. The fact that Tsubaki was already mildly affected by alcohol would only make it easier. "Did he give her to you?" Maka asked as casually as she could manage.

"No," Tsubaki sighed. "He got into an accident."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ah, no, but he's not dead! He's in a coma, actually, so I took Blaire in so I can take care of her until he wakes up," she explained. Tsubaki gave Maka a sad smile. "A drunk driver hit him and Soul fell off his motorcycle. We visited at Tezca Medical Center in Las Vegas right after the accident, but only once since it's so inconveniently far from Death City. But, thankfully, he was moved to St. Justin's Hospital, so we're able to visit him more often. I hope he does wake up, we all really miss him."

"I see."

"I'm sorry," Tsubaki apologized, "You probably didn't want to hear all about that."

"Oh, no it's okay." _Perfect, actually, exactly what I needed._ "It was nice meeting you, Tsubaki, I'm gonna go back down."

"Nice meeting you too, Maka," she said with a smile and a slight wave.

Maka hurried downstairs and rushed out the door. She had to find Soul. Their search was basically over. Now all they had to do was go to the hospital together and it'd be done. If she _could _find him right now, anyway. Buttoning up her trench coat and tightening her scarf, she hurried down the streets, checking places he might've been at. She checked the apartment and the café, but he wasn't there. It was hopeless. He was literally a ghost, he couldn't be found so easily, not in a city as big as this one. If he wanted to disappear, he certainly could. Even so, Maka walked around a while longer in hopes of spotting him, but it was fruitless.

She decided to return home, taking her favorite shortcut through the park. Her feet were killing her after walking around for so long in heeled boots. The city streets weren't very forgiving to pedestrians. The uneven cobblestone path wasn't any better, and it made her tempted to take the horrid boots off, but she knew having her feet exposed to the cold would be worse and could possibly end up with her catching a cold. She turned to a nearby bench and sat down, sighing in relief to be resting at last. But her relaxed state didn't last long. Maka started up when she saw something glowing out of the corner of her eye. Turning to it, she saw Soul's suspended figure emitting a faint grey light through the bare branches of the trees.

"Soul?"

He turned around but his eyes darted down when they met hers. "What?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you! Geez, don't do that to me again, Ghost Boy," Maka sighed. Seeing that he didn't respond, she approached him cautiously, " Listen, I'm really sorry about what I said before. I didn't mean it, I was just really stressed out and tired and I feel really bad. Soul I-"

"It's okay," he turned to her, a gently smile gracing his lightly illuminated face, "I'm sorry, too. I was being an ass."

"I was being a bitch."

"Damn straight," he smirked.

"Shut up!" Maka grinned, happy he'd forgiven her. "I've got news!"

Soul cocked his head curiously, "Like what?"

"I know where your body is!"

Soul's eyes lit up instantly, lips parting slightly in surprise, "You mean you actually found out?"

"Yeah, from your friend Tsubaki," she beamed proudly.

"I have to say," he started with a light chuckle, "I'm impressed. So where is it?"

"St. Justin's Hospital. It's in the next town over," Maka explained, "Oh yeah, by the way, you apparently have a cat named Blaire. Tsubaki's taking care of her now," she added.

"Really? Cool."

The two made their way back to the apartment laughing and joking around, but Maka couldn't help but feel a knot of dread in her chest. Their time together like this would be over soon, and she couldn't bear the thought of it.

**A/N: It's a miracle I was able to get this up today. I got sick over the weekend and I just wasn't in the mood for writing, but thankfully I finished it on Sunday. I didn't think I'd make my own deadline since musical practice was supposed to end late, but we ended up getting out early, so I got to edit it! Yay! **

**I don't think the next chapter will be up for a few days since we're having tech week for the musical and practices are gonna go late. But I'll try to possibly get it up around Thursday, but no promises.**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are nice. I like reviews.**


	5. Alive

This was it. The road to the end. That final sprint to the finish line. Then again, Maka supposed the end had already happened when she told Soul where his body lay just a few days ago. Their search was over, now they just had to retrieve what they'd been looking for.

Sitting on the bus with Soul hovering next to her, Maka bit her lip as she stared out the window. Soul was fidgeting, fingers twitching in apprehension. They were both nervous, and who could blame them? There was much to ponder: what would he look like? Where his injuries serious? Would he be so damaged, he was good as dead? And what would happen when he remembered everything?

The bus slowly screeched to a stop. Tearing her eyes from the window's view, Maka realized it was their stop. A burst of adrenaline ran through her body as she stood up and walked down the aisle to the door. Soul silently followed her out, watching her step down onto the sidewalk and look around at their new surroundings.

They could see St. Justin's Hospital from the bus stop, standing tall and proud a short walk down the street. That's where he was. That's where it would all be over.

Looking up to Soul, Maka saw he was staring at the hospital with an unreadable expression, as though he didn't know what to think or feel. "Let's go," she urged quietly. Soul gave a slight nod, and they went forward.

It wasn't too long before they found themselves standing before a pair of double doors, gazing up at the building in front of them. People milled about, unaware of Maka and Soul's thoughts and fears, concentrating solely on their own, simply passing by what appeared to be just another girl going in for a visit.

"Remember the plan," Soul stated.

Maka turned to him, "Yeah, I got it," she said, "Go to reception, get the room number, and if they give me any trouble, I pose as a distant friend." They stood together in silence for a few more moments before Maka exhaled, "Here goes nothing."

She gripped the cold metal handle and pulled the heavy glass door open. The hospital was comfortably warm. Maka felt her eyes adjust from the bright outdoor sun to the lighting inside, which gave the place a crisp, white look. Glancing around, she realized they hadn't come in through the main entrance.

"Where's reception?" she asked in an urgent whisper.

Soul looked around, seeing that there really was no reception desk around. "I don't know," he admitted, "Check the signs. There's gotta be a directory somewhere."

Maka eyed a blue sign nailed to the wall and approached it. Several areas were listed with arrows pointing to where they could be found. Her eyes read each one until they reached the bottom, but reception wasn't listed. Now quite frazzled, Maka started walking down the hallway in hopes of finding help. As though the anxiety she'd felt for the past few days wasn't enough! Now she was stuck feeling rushed and lost. It was a good thing Soul didn't say anything to make her feel any more distressed.

Luckily for them, a man with a dark blonde buzz cut clothed in a long white coat paced towards them, reviewing the sheets on his clipboard. Perfect, a doctor! He'd know where to guide them.

"Excuse me!" Maka piped up, making the doctor glance up from his papers.

"Yes?"

Maka walked up to him, taking a quick look at his ID. _Dr. Joe Buttataki. "_I'm a bit lost," she explained, "Do you know where reception is?"

Doctor Joe smiled at her and pointed down the hallway, "When you get to the end, take a right and that'll lead you to the lobby."

"Thank you!"

"No problem."

With that, Maka made her way down the path he described. Soul was strangely silent. He'd usually be yapping away, amusing her with stories about things he'd seen while flying around town. But, then again, she figured he was just as nervous as her, if not more. They both didn't quite know what to expect, and _he _was the one this was being done for.

Finally arriving at the lobby, Maka looked to the polished desk curling from the wall in a semicircle. When she glanced at Soul, he gave her a small nod, and she stepped up to the reception desk.

"Excuse me."

The blonde-haired receptionist glared up at her, golden eyes sparking with annoyance, "Can I help you?"

Maka felt her heart race, but calmed down a bit when she felt Soul float down closer to her, "I'm looking for Soul Evans' room."

The receptionist turned to her computer, the hair twist resting on her chest shifting with her. Maka chewed her lip, waiting for her to stop hammering the keyboard with her manicured nails. With one final click, the woman turned back, "Soul Evans: Room 564. Fourth floor," she said flatly.

"Thank you, ma'm," Maka acknowledged, pacing over to the nearby elevator and entering it alone with Soul. She pressed the button for the fourth floor and stepped back, pressing herself against the wall.

"I guess it's finally happening," Soul remarked softly.

Maka breathed out a laugh, "Yeah, I guess it is."

They remained silent for the rest of the elevator ride. A few more people came in along the way including a pretty light-haired nurse who chirped a greeting to everyone inside. At last, the elevator dinged to a stop at the fourth floor. Maka stepped out, turning her head, trying to figure out where to go.

"Are you looking for someone?"

Maka faced the nurse, who came out of the elevator with a gentle smile. "U-um, yes. I'm looking for Soul Evans. Reception said he was in room 564."

"Oh, Soul! He's a one of my patients," she explained, beckoning for Maka to follow her.

"Oh."

The nurse frowned slightly, "I don't think I've seen you here before. Are you a friend?"

"Y-yeah, I live far away, so I haven't been able to visit him for a while," Maka lied.

"I see," she nodded, "I was just wondering since I never saw you with his usual visitors. They're a nice group."

Maka figured she must've meant Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and Black Star. Though how they passed off as a 'nice group' was beyond her. They reached the wing's small reception area, where the nurse greeted her dark-skinned colleague who waved back a hello.

"Strange that you came by yourself, though. It's not very interesting to visit someone in comatose without a companion to talk to, especially since you came from so far."

"Oh, um, I just wanted to see him in private since I don't really know anyone around here," Maka fumbled nervously.

Marie nodded in understanding, "Well, here you are."

Maka's eyes widened, reading the door's number. 564. "Thanks," she said. Marie chirped a _you're welcome_ and left.

Staring at the door, Maka realized that once she opened it, it all would be over. All those times Soul would make faces at her during class, all those times he'd bother her at work, all those times he'd take away her loneliness with his constant presence. They would be gone.

"Ready?" she heard Soul ask.

"Yeah," Maka breathed, turning the door handle. They looked at each other and nodded. She opened the door slowly, heart beating hard, adrenaline pumping as her thoughts raced.

She stepped in cautiously, looking to the center of the small room. There, on the hospital bed, lay a man. Maka grinned when she saw he looked exactly like the colored version of the Soul she knew. His messy hair was still stark white, skin healthily tanned, and his mouth was slightly parted, revealing sharp teeth. He lay on his back, head propped up by a pillow, arms resting on top of a light blue blanket that folded at his torso. No bulking casts, no bled-through bandages, just a sleeping man, to her relief.

"This is kinda weird," Soul chuckled, "I'm looking at myself sleep."

"Yeah."

Soul's smile faded as he gazed at the girl he'd grown so fond of. That he'd grown to depend on. He knew that when he returns, things would be different. No doubt she knew that too. He didn't want it to end, because she wasn't just a helping hand. She was someone he would miss, someone he wanted to hold on to.

"Maka," he began, watching her turn to him, her big green eyes peering into his, "If… If I don't remember you when I wake up…or if I turn out to be a completely different person," he exhaled, flashing her a sad smile, "I just want to say goodbye."

Her eyes shimmered with welling tears, "No, Soul," she uttered, voice tight, "don't say that."

He peered towards his body, "We don't know what'll happen…"

Maka fought the tears that threatened to spill out. Because she'd miss him terribly if he forgot her. She'd be left alone again. She'd lose him and she couldn't bear that. Reaching for her purse, Maka found a small notebook and a pen inside.

"What're you doing?"

She ripped out a piece of paper and started scribbling, "I'm writing down my phone number so that when you wake up, we can stay in contact."

Soul smiled, eyes softening, emitting a warm glow, "Thanks for everything."

"You too."

With that, Soul floated over to where his body lay, looking to Maka one last time. "Bye."

"I'll see you when you wake up," she whispered, taking one last look at his discolored, partially translucent form. One last look at his bright, beautiful crimson eyes.

Soul tore his gaze away, glancing down at his body. He took his hand and reached down tentatively, cautiously. Maka watched as he began to glow, squinting as the light swallowed up the room. Gasping, she watched Soul's spirit get sucked into his body, light disappearing completely in a flash. Standing awestruck for a moment, she snapped out of it and scampered over to the bed.

Soul's eyes remained closed, his breathing peaceful, nothing had changed. That's when she started to panic. What if he stays in a coma? What if he never wakes up? Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down. Maybe it would take a minute. Who said it would be immediate?

But when Soul didn't show any signs of movement a few minutes later, Maka let the tears stream down her face. She pulled a chair next to the bed and plopped down. Grabbing his hand, she cried silently.

"Wake up," she sobbed. "C'mon, Soul."

Maka gazed down at him. His arms were covered in deep cuts and scratches, an IV taped down on one along with a couple bandages. His face had a serene expression, but it was scratched up and sported a thick piece of gauze taped down on the cheek facing her.

She continued clutching his hand as she put her head down on the bed, shuddering quietly in distress. All her fears came to mind. What if he really did end up forgetting her? What if he turned out to be a completely different person? What if he'd leave her the moment he woke up?

Maka didn't notice Soul slowly opening his eyes and shifting his gaze to her.

"Hey," he said, voice hoarse from his dry throat.

Maka snapped up when she felt her hand being squeezed back, her puffy, reddened eyes wide. Seeing him crack a grin, she teared up again, "Thank God," she sobbed.

Soul shifted his position, his muscles groaned in protest after not being used in so long. Talking with a parched throat didn't help matters, Soul began to cough, hissing when he felt sharp pain shoot from his ribcage.

"Soul!"

"I'm fine," he insisted, looking up at Maka. She was wiping her tearstained cheeks, but the waterworks continued falling, breathy sobs shaking her petite frame. "C'mere," he murmured, pulling her into him.

He felt her head hit his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Burying his nose into her neck, he took it all in. Her smell, the way she felt so small compared to him, the softness of her hair as he stroked her back. Ignoring the pain in his ribs, he hugged her tighter because he could. All this time he couldn't do anything, he couldn't touch her, he couldn't hug her, so he was finally making up for all the moments he'd wanted to.

Maka returned his crushing embrace, her tears seeping into his hospital gown. He smelled like antiseptic, but that didn't matter. He felt alive. She realized he was real, physically there, no longer a ghost, but a man. She felt tiny in his arms, but comfortable in his warmth, proof he wasn't dead. "I was so scared," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I thought you weren't gonna wake up." His chuckles rumbled in her ear.

"Well, I'm here, and I still remember you, and I'm still the same guy."

"Good."

"Now stop crying, you're getting my shirt wet."

Maka pulled away reluctantly, wiping away the last of her tears before stretching out her hand and slapping him on the cheek.

"Ow! The fuck was that for?!"

She smirked, "That's for being annoying. I told you I'd slap you when we found your body."

Soul grinned, "Didn't think you'd remember." He lay back down on his pillow, "I feel like shit, waking up from a coma is _not _fun."

"I'll call for a nurse," Maka said, getting up and walking to the door. She walked over to the wing's reception area, where she saw the nurse from before. "Excuse me!"

The nurse turned to her, smile faltering when she saw Maka's still-puffy face, "What's wrong?"

"He woke up."

The nurse's eyes widened and she started to life, "Oh my!"

"What happened, Marie?" the dark-skinned woman behind the reception desk asked.

"Mira, come with me, Soul's woken up," Marie explained. Turning to Maka, she said, "I'm sorry, but could you wait here?"

Maka nodded, watching the two nurses scurry off as she sat down on a nearby chair. Relief continued to flow through her. She was just happy he was okay, no serious injuries were evident and he had his all his memories, including the ones with her, intact. And she was perfectly content with that. For now.

**A/N: This chapter was supposed to be the last one, but then I made another. But I also made this shorter since I thought the next part wouldn't fit into this chapter, so instead of a really short next chapter, it'll be a good, long, final one.**

**Sorry this didn't come out on schedule, the musical didn't give me much writing time, but its up now so enjoy! Next chapter should be out on Tuesday or so.**

**Reviews are nice. Me gusta reviews.**


	6. Finally

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update! I had school attack me with two research papers and I had to frickin memorize a song in German for choir (I passed that test with flying colors FYI). Also, I went driving for the first time. Excitement! Okay, anyway, enjoy.**

_"Yeah, so I got out of that with a few fractured ribs and a concussion," Soul explained as they walked out of the hospital together. "Well, and I got sliced real good across here," he gestured across his chest with a finger, "by some stupid-ass rock or something while I slid. Still have the stitches in."_

_ "Must've been some rock," Maka mused._

_ "That Marie chick said it was a miracle I got out of that with just a few scratches."_

_ "Well, you're circumstances weren't exactly normal," she pointed out._

_ "True," he laughed._

It had been a whole two weeks since that day. Two weeks since they'd he'd said goodbye to her at the bus stop back in Death City and went off to reorganize himself. Two weeks without so much as a single word!

She missed him, but she should've seen it coming. Of course he'd leave her. He had his own life again, one that didn't involve her. She was left to be cast back into her old routine. And she hated it. She hated being in that endless cycle, that endless loneliness. She wanted him back. Hell, she wanted him to float around scaring the shit out of her at work or make faces at her during class. She missed his jokes, she missed his anecdotes, she missed the glow of his ruby eyes. And it ate at her, that longing to see him again. She shouldn't have let her feelings get so out of hand. It was a temporary partnership, anyway.

Walking home from work, Maka tightened the thick scarf around her neck. The air was more chilly in the evening than it was earlier that afternoon. She held her head up, looking about in the vague hope of maybe, just maybe seeing him walking down the busy city street. She did it all the time, usually subconsciously. It really angered her that he just disappeared from her life. Just like that, in the blink of an eye! He knew all too well where she worked, went to school, he even knew where she lived! She'd even given him her number and she hadn't received so much as a text.

Stepping off to the side of the walkway, Maka turned to her right. The gently lit cobblestone path beckoned for her to take a stroll through the park. Looking up as she answered its calling, she noticed the dark, now barren tree branches twist and turn over her. Fall was coming to an end, winter already spreading its barren influence into her surroundings. With a sigh, she plodded forward, an icy breeze scattering a few strands of hair onto her face. With a shudder, she contemplated buying a new coat since this one was so thin, but she knew money was a bit tight for that. This coat was still intact, so why go buy another one?

Suddenly, she felt strong hands grip her shoulders tightly. Maka shrieked, whirling around wildly, adrenaline splintering through her. She was just about to pull her arm back and slug whatever unfortunate sucker was attempting to assault her, when she saw a familiar shock of white hair.

"Whoa, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Soul sniggered, amused with his own dumb joke.

Maka wiped the surprised expression from her face, slanting her brows into a glower, "Soul, you _jerk_!" she cried, smacking his arm, though probably to no effect through his thick jacket. How could he just pop back in like that, after all the time she spent miserable in his absence?

"Nice to see you, too."

"You're an ass, you know that?! No word for two weeks and now you just reappear," she huffed, "You couldn't have popped into the café? Not even made a call? I mean, a text would've sufficed!"

That certainly wiped the grin off his face, "Listen, I know, I'm an asshole. But, I kinda lost the paper with your number," he admitted guiltily. "It must've slipped out somewhere, I don't know. And in case you didn't know, waking up from a coma has its complications. I've been getting everything back together, plus, I had to stay at home so everything could heal." He looked to her apologetically, "Sorry."

"Whatever, you're here now," she sighed. "The apartment's too quiet without you."

Soul smiled, pacing up to Maka and draping his arm around her, pushing her along the path with him, "You wanna come to my place? I owe you a movie."

Maka smirked leaning into him, "You owe me several, actually. I spent, like, over twenty dollars on Pay-Per-View."

It was about fifteen minutes later that she found herself at the opposite end of Death City, in the richer area, far from the run down neighborhood she lived in. Soul dug a burgundy keycard out of his pocket and slid it through the slot on the door handle. A fait beeping noise indicated permission to access and he swung the door open, stepping aside courteously so Maka could go in before him.

She gawked at the sight before her. It was a spacious condo, not the kind your typical higher middle class lived in. No, this was worth millions. The living room consisted of a glass coffee table, a designer couch and recliner arranged around it. An enormous flat-screen TV hung on the wall, giant stereo speakers on either side. An entire wall was replaced by glass, a huge window looking into the city below. Her eyes traced the spiral staircase, leading them to the second floor, partially visible from where she stood.

"Welcome to Casa de Soul," he said, closing the door behind them, "Want a drink?"

"What?" Maka asked dumbly, still in a daze.

"Martini?" Soul offered, throwing his jacket lazily to the ground as he walked over to a bar. Yes, an actual bar, right next to the platform step that led into a spacious kitchen. It was fairly large for one in a private home, cabinets and shelves overhead stacked with a variety of quality alcohol and drinking glasses.

Maka snatched his jacket from the floor, "You shouldn't be throwing your stuff all over the place."

"Yes, mother," he mocked, shoveling in some ice into his cocktail shaker.

She approached the bar as he worked, sitting atop one of the high stools to get a better look. "Geez, you're more loaded than a pub."

"Turns out I'm a bit of an alcohol snob," he smirked as he began to mix the liquids in the shaker vigorously.

"You'd better not have a drinking problem."

"Just because I have impeccable taste doesn't mean I'm an alcoholic," Soul said. He turned around to the mini-fridge behind him, opening it and taking out two martini glasses.

Maka cocked a brow, "A fridge full of glasses?"

He grinned, "The first thing you should know about martini making is that the glasses have to be chilled." She watched him pour the contents of the shaker into the two glasses, plopping a maraschino cherry into each. "For you," he handed the crimson-colored drink to her, "A black cherry martini."

"Look at you, all classy," she remarked. "I have to say, I'm still in shock about your house. You didn't tell me you were rich!"

"You never asked," he muttered, taking a sip. "But, anyway, you came for a movie, so I'll find one."

Soul walked over to a metal DVD rack, searching through his collection. It was still strange to her to see him in a physical form. Even stranger was seeing him feel so at home in that huge condo, standing among perfect, designer furniture in a casual outfit consisting of dark skinny jeans and an orange hoodie. How'd he even pay for all this?!

"Meow." Looking down, Maka saw a black cat wrapping itself around her legs in greeting.

"Hey, sweetie," she crouched down, carefully handling her drink in one hand while stroking the purring feline with the other. "Is this Blaire?"

"Yeah," Soul answered looking over his shoulder briefly. "Hey, so, you okay with Scott Pilgrim, I haven't watched it in forever."

"Scott Pilgrim?"

He turned to her with a nearly offended expression, "Scott Pilgrim versus The World. You've never watched it? You read, don't you? There's comics for it."

Maka avoided his gaze, embarrassed that she didn't know what he was talking about. This wasn't anything new, she found herself in these kinds of situations all the time. It's not like she really watched movies, she didn't have the time. Besides, she'd rather stick with books. "I don't read comics," she muttered.

"You are _so_ lucky you have me as a friend. Your taste in everything sucks."

Maka scoffed, "Rude."

He shot her a toothy grin, taking the disc out of its case and inserting it into the DVD player. Motioning for her to sit, he plopped down on the couch and picked up the remote from the coffee table. Maka complied with his gesture, Blaire following her with a mew and settling on Maka's lap when she sat down next to Soul.

"So," he started, pressing a button on the remote to play the movie, "you know how we kept having trouble finding out about the accident?"

"Yeah." She quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, apparently, my stuck-up prick family didn't want anyone knowing about it, so they literally paid the media to be quiet. They care about their image too much," he sneered.

Soul didn't elaborate anymore. Maka didn't pry. She felt a little more intimidated around him now. She thought he'd be like her, an average man in his early twenties living in an ordinary apartment with a part-time job that helps pay for rent. She certainly didn't expect him to live in such a luxurious condo and have come from a family rich enough to shut the media up. He seemed almost like a stranger, having not seen him for a while, living his own life again. She wasn't needed anymore. They'd completed their search. But she was left alone again while he'd returned to his friends and home.

Maka hated how distant she felt from him. She didn't want to feel like he'd changed, like he'd left her. Soul had every reason not to care about her anymore, but it hurt. It hurt her more than she wanted to admit.

"What is this?" she asked, "I mean, this doesn't make any logical sense."

"It's not supposed to. It's one of _those_ movies."

"Huh?"

"Just watch."

Maka felt him shift a little closer, his knee knocking into hers, trying to look casual. She pretended not to take notice, but her heart skipped a beat when his shoulder brushed against hers. Keeping a blank expression herself, she pressed against him lightly. He tensed up a bit, but relaxed just a moment later, returning the motion. She liked touching him, it meant he was alive. Right now, she felt she was making up for the time she couldn't, when any attempts at touching him would just go straight through.

They were through a good portion of the movie when Soul spoke up, "I missed you, you know," he said nonchalantly.

Maka shifted her eyes to his, still that beautiful red color, but they weren't glowing. "I missed you, too," she admitted. "I'm still mad at you for basically abandoning me. After all I did!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry," he grunted, "But I thought of you the whole time."

Maka turned her head, attempting to hide her hot cheeks, no doubt her face was red as a beet. This blatant flirting was too much for her! Geez, him saying that sounded so uncool. But it was endearing, causing an electric warmth to spread through her body.

With caution, Maka turned back to him. He was staring, crimson eyes tenderly peering into hers, a slight blush adorning his cheeks, making her heart race even faster. She found herself leaning into him as he leaned into her, face to face, breath hitching, eyes downcast. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she felt his breath tickling her nose, tilting her head up so she could look into his eyes again. They were blatantly ignoring the movie at this point, blocking out the music coming from the speakers on either side of the TV. Nothing mattered but each other and their close proximity.

That is, until Blair meowed, ripping Maka from her haze and throwing her back into reality. Soul faltered as well, whipping his head away from her as she jerked her attention back to the TV screen, cheeks scarlet. An awkward silence hung in the air, movie blaring with action as their hearts slowed down.

Clearing her throat and keeping her eyes on the screen, Maka coolly asked, "So, what's going on?"

"What?" Soul nearly squeaked, but seeing she was actually referring to the movie, he coughed and said, "Oh, they're battling Ramona's ex-girlfriend from her lesbian faze or whatever."

Maka nodded slowly. Thank God for the movie. It would've been so much more uncomfortable without anything to divert them from their embarrassment. Once her adrenaline rush subsided, Maka felt sleepiness overtake her. It was late, she'd just finished work when Soul met her in the park and she should've been at home brushing her teeth and getting ready to slip into bed. And despite the events that'd just passed and the loud, upbeat music coming from the movie, Maka found herself drifting off to sleep, barely aware of the warm blanket suddenly thrown onto her as she settled comfortably on the couch's pillow.

The next morning, she found herself staring up at a high, blank white ceiling, still on the couch with a cozy grey blanket wrapped around her. Soul was kind enough to accompany her back home, since she wouldn't know how to get there on her own and she certainly wasn't going to pay cab fare. They were just outside her apartment complex when he turned to her with a hesitant look.

"Hey, so, my family's having this banquet thingy tomorrow," he stated, scratching the back of his head, "I know it's really late notice, but could you be my plus one?"

"Hm," she tapped her finger on her lips in mock pondering, "Well, I don't have work tomorrow, so sure."

Soul flashed her his signature grin "Cool. I'll pick you up around six tomorrow," he said as he turned around. Then he paused, swiveling back on his heels, "Oh yeah, make sure to dress nice, it's one of those fancy occasions," he added, then started walking down the street, disappearing from her view.

He wasn't wrong when he said it was a fancy occasion. Thank the good lord for Kim. She was kind enough to help Maka out, since she didn't exactly have any nice clothes to wear. Maka had explained to Kim that she was going to a banquet at work yesterday, at which her pink-haired co-worker started fawning over what kind of outfit Maka should wear. Luckily for her, Kim had an extensive wardrobe of formalwear and let Maka sift through it to choose an outfit of her liking. Maka settled for a plain, strapless black dress. It was tight, hugging her petit frame and it ended mid-thigh, exposing her long legs. Kim even told her she could keep it since it was too small around the chest area for her. Maka let her hair down and finished the look with simple black pumps.

The banquet took place in a impressive ballroom, complete with a gigantic chandelier in the center and a shining marble floor. It wasn't surprising that Maka was shocked to hear it belonged to Soul's family. A small group of instrumentalists provided music for the occasion, giving something pleasant to listen to other than the chatter of the guests.

But among all the strangers that held their heads high and poised, Maka felt out of place. She felt she lacked a certain element of sophistication and elegance everyone else possessed. She'd never felt more common in her life. She wasn't made out for these types of things, preferring to stay at home reading a book than to go out in general. Events like these weren't her cup of tea, requiring her to say the right things to strangers, one mess up potentially ruining her reputation among the room of higher class stuck-ups. Intimidated and humbled, Maka stayed close to Soul. She felt completely exposed and alone whenever he stopped to talk to someone, sounding stiff and nothing like the casual and lazy man she'd gotten to know. Just why had he asked _her_? Asking one of his other friends would've made more sense, them already being rich, probably already knowing how to act in situations like this.

Sensing her distress, Soul linked their arms and drew her closer to him, giving her a bit more confidence. "Relax," he whispered, lips brushing against the rim of her ear.

"Soul!" called a voice behind them. Soul's hot breath suddenly disappeared as he twirled to face a man with strikingly similar features to his.

"Hey, Wes," he greeted. Turning to her he said, "Maka, this is my brother, Wes. Wes, Maka."

"Pleasure meeting you," Wes smiled, stretching out his hand.

Maka shook it shyly, "You too."  
"So," he started, "How do you two know each other?"

Maka parted her lips to say something, but faltered, realizing the true story sounded ridiculous. They hadn't really gone over a fake backstory and the whole long-distance friend thing probably wasn't going to work on his brother.

"She works at a café I like," Soul replied smoothly, "We started getting along there."

Wes nodded, pursing his lips with a hint of a smile, "Well, food's out already if you want to get some," he pointed to the long tables lined with different dishes being served by waiters and waitresses, people already queuing to get food.

"Shall we?" Soul asked in mock politeness.

Maka smirked, "Certainly."

As they turned to the buffet, Maka caught Wes giving Soul a knowing look, a smug smile adorning his face. Looking at Soul, she had to admit, he really did clean up nicely. He was clad in a crisp, black pinstripe suit over a red button up and a black tie. His white hair was left in its usual unruly, yet neat state.

As they stood in line, a waiter came by with a tray of champagne. Soul took two glasses, handing one to Maka. She took it with a brief _thanks_, offering a small smile as her brilliant verdant eyes peered into his. She looked gorgeous: simple, yet stunning. Her hair fell loose and free onto her exposed shoulders and the black dress accentuated her subtle curves and exposed her long legs, which looked fantastic thanks to her heels. Since they'd arrived, she'd clung onto him, biting her lip nervously, brows lightly furrowing, making him want to bring her into a crushing hug because she looked so _damn cute_ like that.

"Hey," Soul said softly once they exited the buffet line with their food, "wanna ditch this crowd?"

"What?" Maka frowned, "We've only been here for a half hour. And isn't this you're family's party?"

"Yeah, not that anyone cares I'm here anyway," he muttered. At her confused look he simply jerked his head towards the ballroom's doors, "C'mon."

She followed him, a full plate of food in hand. He opened the heavy polished door for her and placed a gently, guiding hand on her back, leading the way down the wide hallway. Just a few doors down, he stopped and opened the entrance to a dark room. Once he flipped on the lights, Maka saw it was spacious, its polished floor checkered black and white, a single grand piano standing proudly in the center.

"You play?" she asked as they approached the classical instrument, putting their food and drinks down on a nearby coffee table.

He slid his fingers along the keyboard cover, then lifted it effortlessly, "Yeah, since I was a kid."

Maka watched as he sat down on the cushioned piano bench, ghosting his hands over the ebony keys. "Then you must be good."

Soul sighed, expression pained, "Not good enough."

"What do you mean?"

"My family…we're music-oriented. We're actually kinda famous. Not that you've probably ever heard of the Evans family, it's literally just the stuck up classical music enthusiasts. But, anyway, we've always had a history of being musical prodigies. And I'm not." Upon seeing her puzzled expression, he elaborated, "I had to work so hard while everything came so easily to Wes. He'd constantly be getting first place at competitions and composing pieces, getting them published. All my work was rejected. So, my parents are basically embarrassed by me. I 'bring shame to the family' or whatever."

"That's stupid," Maka stated simply. "Well, I'm not exactly on great terms with my family either. My dad's in therapy for sex addiction and my mom left us and went off to God knows where. A good portion of my rent is paid by him, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna lose his job, so I won't be able to pay for the apartment anymore," she sighed, "I'm probably gonna need another job…"

"That's rough."

"Yeah…," she glanced at the piano, "Hey, play something."

He quirked a brow, "Really?"

Maka nodded eagerly. Soul patted the bench, gesturing for her to sit down next to him. When she settled herself at the edge of the seat, he cracked his knuckles a struck a haunting chord. His left hand started playing first, his right hand hovering over the keys as a stream of dark notes filled the room. Then his right hand went to work, fingers strong and fast, yet the hand itself looked almost stationary and graceful as he hit both white and black keys equally. Turning his head slightly, Soul's eyes darted up and down the keyboard, glancing between his hands rapidly. He went into a ritardando, increasing the volume and tilting his body to the left along with his hands as he slowed down.

A new melody surfaced, as though they'd exited the river rapids into calmer waters. His body swayed lightly along with the calmed music, sometimes brushing up accidentally against her. Maka listened, mesmerized by the tranquility and peacefulness. She watched Soul's eyes, slightly lidded, most likely entranced by his own playing. Maka's breathing slowed along with his hands, which stopped for a moment.

Suddenly, his eyes sparked to life, fingers returning to the fast-paced melody in the beginning. Maka snapped out of her calm daze, watching his body move in larger gestures along with the intensity. Left hand taking on a simple melody, his right continued playing a stream of short, quick notes, gradually slowing down and quieting into a serene ending chord.

Silence hung in the air for a moment before both of them exhaled a breath they didn't know they were holding. Soul turned to her with a grin, Maka beamed in response.

"That…that was amazing," she breathed, "You're really good!"

"You think so?"

She nodded, "What's it called?"

"You mean you don't know?" Soul asked, looking a bit offended, "It's a pretty well-known piece."

"No," Maka squirmed a bit, embarrassed, "Am I supposed to?"

"Fantasie Impromptu," he hinted, but Maka looked only more confused, "Opus sixty-six," he continued, she shook her head. "By Chopin?"

"Um…"

"Yeesh, you _really_ don't have any music culture, do you?" he rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Maka pouted, "I listen to music as much as the next person."

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"Drum and bass."

"Holy _shit_, Maka, your taste is garbage!" he exclaimed, laughing.

She scoffed, offended as she punch his shoulder, "No its not!"

"Yeah, whatever," he said as his laughter died down. "Here, you wanna learn something easy?"

"Huh?"

"On the piano, I can teach you how to play Heart and Soul. It's that duet everyone does, see?" he plonked the simple melody with a single hand.

"Oh! I've heard that one!" she cried, smiling in recognition.

"Good. Okay, put your hand on the keyboard," he instructed, "No, you idiot, your right hand."

Maka pinked slightly when he placed her hand on the keys, fanning out her fingers.

"Okay, copy me," he said, demonstrating slowly for her.

She furrowed her brows in concentration, "L-like this?"

"No," he shook his head as her fingers stumbled over each other. Taking them, he maneuvered her hand over the keys, "Don't be afraid to overlap, but don't do it so much. Look, you can even get away with it using one finger, except I suggest you use all of them so you don't have to move your hand so much."

"O-okay," she played the melody slowly.

"Yeah, good! Do it again, one more time."

Maka complied, grinning when she realized she was actually doing it, actually playing an instrument. Crudely, yes, but playing nonetheless. "I did it!"

Soul smiled at her excitement, "Cool. Okay, now just remember that and don't start until I cue you in. You ready?"

She nodded. Soul placed both his hands farther down the keyboard and started playing the second part. After a few seconds, he looked to Maka and mouthed '_Now'_. She promptly started playing what he'd taught her, combining both melodies and resonating their simple duet throughout the room. They went on for about a minute, smiling warmly, shoulders bumping, before Soul started to slow down, Maka following his lead into a finish.

They looked to each other, both grinning in satisfaction. The corners of Soul's mouth relaxed, morphing his lips into a line, slightly parted. Maka's smile faded in nervous question as she watched his expression change. Peering into his eyes, she saw they were gazing at her gingerly, making her heart beat a little faster.

"That was fun," she uttered, turning her head away from his intense stare.

"Yeah," he responded quietly.

Maka tensed when she suddenly felt Soul touch her shoulder. Looking back to him, she realized he'd gotten closer, leaning towards her, angling his body to face her better.

"Maka," he breathed, tracing his eyes over her soft ashen hair, her pale, exposed skin, her brilliant green eyes, her pink lips. "I…"

They found themselves drifting towards each other, both trembling slightly in nervousness. Maka didn't dare to look up, downcasting her eyes instead as she felt their noses brush. Their breath mingled, heat radiating from their closing distance. Anticipation rose, Soul placed a warm hand on her cheek, moving it so that his fingers reached behind her ear and buried into her hair. Hearts beat hard, breaths hitched, faces flushed.

Maka closed her eyes and tilted her head up. His lips captured hers, kissing her tentatively, soft and sweet. Time stopped, the entire room disappeared, the banquet just a few doors down was long forgotten. His thumb traced over her cheek affectionately, gentle, as though she would break at the slightest touch. Maka responded by meekly fingering the lapel of his suit jacket.

Her lips left his first, their foreheads touched, eyes remained closed. They pulled away slowly. Soul smiled when he saw Maka avoiding his gaze shyly, cheeks reddening cutely when he chuckled.

"Hey," he started, waiting for Maka to look at him again, "I wanted to give you something." He reached into his pocket, taking out a dark red plastic card.

"Is that…?"

"Keycard," he grinned, "I think I owe you 24/7 access to my place since I kept bothering you at yours when I was still a ghost."

"I can't accept that!" she argued, "It's not like you did anything at my place, anyway."

"I _want_ you to have it," Soul insisted. "If you need anything, just come over. Plus, you said it yourself, you might lose your apartment. You can stay with me."

"I can't even afford a sixth of what you're place is worth."

"Oh please, you don't have to pay a cent, it's already bought. My parents literally paid me to move out."

Maka smiled gratefully, taking the card from his hand. Throwing her arms around him, she pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks."

"No problem."

And everything would be alright, because he was back and she wouldn't be alone.

**The end.**

**A/N: Sorry for the shit ending. My brain died. **

**Okay so, I actually did a lot of research for this story. Like, in order to get info on comas and if my ideas would work, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and write a 5 page research paper on comas for my health class while getting necessary info for this story. I also went out of my way to double check the vegetation in norther Nevada since I wrote the whole leaves in the fall thingy before it occurred to me that Nevada has a lot of desert land. I also researched the age you could get a motorcycle license in Nevada to determine what age Soul and Maka should be, since I was gonna have them be in high school. I put a whole lot of fucking effort into this.**

**Once again, I'd like to thank Arina Tanemura for inspiring the concept with her amazing manga _Full Moon wo Sagashite_**

**And most of all, I'd like to thank you guys for your wonderful reviews that keep me going, especially dantheman for his awesome support. **

**I love you guys, thank you so much for reading!**


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